A guide to customer segmentation in content marketing
Customer segmentation is a crucial aspect of content marketing. It involves dividing your audience into smaller groups based on common characteristics, such as age, location, income level, and interests.
In this article we cover the step-by-step process to follow, discuss a few important tips and 8 segmentation models that you can use today.
By understanding the specific needs and preferences of each customer segment, you can tailor your content marketing efforts to better engage and convert them.
Looking to master customer journey mapping instead?
Here’s a link: An essential guide to customer journey mapping
Here is a step-by-step guide to implementing a successful customer segmentation strategy in your content marketing efforts.
Step 1: Identify your customer segments
The first step in customer segmentation is gathering information about your audience. This can include demographics, interests, behaviour, and other relevant data. There are several ways to gather this information, including customer surveys, analytics tools, and social media monitoring.
Once you have gathered this data, you can start to define your customer segments based on common characteristics.
For example, you might have one segment of young, tech-savvy individuals and another segment of older, more traditional consumers. Other common segments might include location, income level, or specific interests.
Step 2: Develop a content marketing strategy for each customer segment
Now that you have identified your customer segments, it’s time to start developing a content marketing strategy for each one. This involves customizing your content to meet the specific needs and preferences of each segment.
For example, if you have a segment of young, tech-savvy individuals, you might focus on creating content that is visually appealing and easy to consume on mobile devices. If you have a segment of older, more traditional consumers, you might focus on creating content that is more informative and educational in nature.
In addition to customizing your content, you should also consider the best channels for reaching each customer segment. This might include social media, email marketing, or targeted advertising.
Step 3: Set goals and measure your success
As with any content marketing effort, it’s important to set clear goals and measure your success. This might include metrics such as website traffic, conversions, or engagement.
For each customer segment, consider what goals are most important and how you will track your progress. This will help you continually improve your content marketing efforts and better engage and convert your audience.
Tips for successful customer segmentation in content marketing
- Stay up-to-date with changes in your customer segments: It’s important to regularly review and update your customer segments to ensure that they are still relevant. This might involve gathering new data or reassessing the needs and preferences of each segment.
- Be consistent in your messaging and branding: It’s important to maintain a consistent brand voice and messaging for each customer segment. This helps to build trust and establish a strong brand identity.
- Use customer feedback to continually improve your strategy: Gathering customer feedback can help you understand what is working and what isn’t in your content marketing efforts. Use this feedback to continually improve and refine your strategy for each customer segment.
8 Customer segmentation models you can use
1. Demographic segmentation
This model divides the audience based on characteristics such as age, gender, income level, education, and occupation.
Example:
An example of demographic segmentation might be dividing a fashion retailer’s audience into segments based on age and gender, such as young men, middle-aged women, and seniors.
Tip: Be sure to gather accurate and relevant data on demographics in order to effectively segment your audience.
2. Geographic segmentation
This model divides the audience based on location, such as country, region, or city.
Example:
An example of geographic segmentation might be dividing a restaurant’s audience into segments based on location, such as urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Tip: Consider local cultural differences and preferences when segmenting based on geography.
3. Behavioural segmentation
This model divides the audience based on their behaviour, such as purchasing habits, product usage, and loyalty.
Example:
An example of behavioural segmentation might be dividing a software company’s audience into segments based on their usage of the product, such as light users, heavy users, and non-users.
Tip: Use data on customer behaviour, such as purchase history and product usage, to accurately segment your audience.
4. Psychographic segmentation
This model divides the audience based on their attitudes, values, and lifestyle.
Example:
An example of psychographic segmentation might be dividing a luxury car brand’s audience into segments based on their attitudes and values, such as status-conscious or environmentally conscious.
Tip: Use customer surveys and other research methods to gather data on psychographic characteristics.
5. Customer journey segmentation
This model divides the audience based on where they are in the customer journey, such as awareness, consideration, or decision-making stages.
Example:
An example of customer journey segmentation might be dividing a travel company’s audience into segments based on where they are in the process of planning a trip, such as researching destinations, comparing prices, or booking a trip.
Tip: Use data on customer interactions and behaviour to accurately segment your audience based on their position in the customer journey.
6. Value-based segmentation
This model divides the audience based on their perceived value of the product or service, such as price sensitivity or willingness to pay a premium.
Example:
An example of value-based segmentation might be dividing a home security company’s audience into segments based on their perceived value of the product, such as price-sensitive or willing to pay a premium.
Tip: Use customer feedback and research to understand how different segments perceive the value of your product or service.
7. Interest-based segmentation
This model divides the audience based on their interests or hobbies, such as sports, travel, or entertainment.
Example:
An example of interest-based segmentation might be dividing a sports retailer’s audience into segments based on their interests, such as soccer, basketball, or golf.
Tip: Use data on customer interests, such as social media activity and online searches, to accurately segment your audience.
8. Firmographic segmentation
This model divides the audience based on characteristics of the business or organization they belong to, such as industry, size, or location.
Example:
An example of firmographic segmentation might be dividing a business-to-business (B2B) software company’s audience into segments based on the industry and size of the businesses they belong to, such as small retail stores or large manufacturing firms.
Tip: Use data on the characteristics of businesses, such as industry, size, and location, to accurately segment your audience.
In conclusion, customer segmentation is a crucial aspect of content marketing that can help you better understand and engage your audience. By dividing your audience into smaller groups based on common characteristics, you can tailor your content marketing efforts to better meet the specific needs and preferences of each segment.
By following the steps outlined in this guide and using customer feedback to continually improve, you can effectively implement a customer segmentation strategy that helps drive business results.
Here’s a list of other customer journey mapping guides that you can read:
- Guide to Customer Research in content marketing
- Guide to Customer segmentation in content marketing
- Guide to Customer journey analysis in content marketing
- Guide to Customer touchpoint mapping in content marketing
- Guide to Customer experience optimization in content marketing